Plunger for paper-box machines



Patented Sept.'27, |898.`

C. M. HULCOMB.

PLUNGER FOR PAPER BOX MACHINES.

(Apphcatxon led July 30 1897 (No Model.)

llnrrnn STATES CHARLES BLAHOLOOMB, OF NEV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TOALFRED BIRNIE,

OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

PLUNGER` FOR PAPER-BOX MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 61 1,431,`datedSeptember 27, 1898..

Application filed July 30,1897. Serial No. 646,484. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, CHARLES M. HOLOOMB, a citizen of the United States,and aresident of New York, (Brooklym) in the county of Kings and Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ex`tensible and Oontractible Former-Plungers for Paper-Box Machines, ofwhich the follow ing is a specification.

This invention relates lto improvements in folding, forming, or creasingplungers for machinery for making paper boxes, envelops, &c., but moreparticularly paper boxes, and especially pertains to folding-plungerswhich are adjustable as` to size, so that a single plunger may beemployed for the production of paper boxes of varying lengths and widthswithin a given reasonable range.

The invention-consists in a folding-plunger comprising parts andarrangements all substanfially as will hereinafter fully appear, and beset forth in the claims. f

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which-4 Figure 1is a plan view of the improved adjustable plunger. Fig. 2 is in partaside view and` in part a vertical sectional view of the plunger astaken on the line l2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end view of the plunger.Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the plunger as taken vertically onthe planes indicated by the line 4 4, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a partial endView of the plunger, showing a supplemental equipment therefor,hereinafter described.

The sectionahextensible, and contractible.

plunger comprises four blocks or sections A A, each having bottom 10,end face 12, and side face 13, squared to each other and arranged andheld with their bottoms 10 all in acommon horizontal plane and theirside and end faces coincident with vand common to the planescorresponding to the sides of a true rectangle, the blocks beingseparated cross- Wise and endwise from each other and firmly held insuch separation by the means to be described, sothat for the time beinglto all intents and purposes the plunger when in use is as efficient andstable as if constructed solid and non-adjustable.

Each of the blocks A is provided at its upper and lower portions withthe angular extension 14, inwardly longitudinally extend ing, and theblocks about centrally of vthese extensions 14 are drilled and tapped,as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, and receive the screw engagement thereinof the threads of the screw-shafts B,which are right and left handthreads, so that the turning of the shaft in one direc-tion will causethe end blocks to be distended, while the turning of the shaft in theother direction will insure their assuming approached relations. As hereshown for each and both of the side pairs of the blocks or sections AAthcre are two of these screw-shafts B, arranged longitudinally inparallelism and entering the screw-sockets in the upper and lowerportions of both of the blocks at one side of the plunger.

Each screw-shaft B has integrally formed at its middle the gear-wheel Owith the hubs a a at its opposite faces, and an opposing pair of flatplates b b, having circular apertures 1G, are iitted about and supportedupon the said hubs a aand `in turn serve to support the hubs or gudgeonsof the intermediate gear-Wheels CZ d.

One of the gudgeons orjournal-hubs for the intermediate gear-wheels dhas thereon a projection d2, of polygonal form, which is alsoperforated, whereby it may be either turned by a wrench or a spanner` orsuitably otherwise, so as to impart simultaneously a rotation to both.of the double or right and left hand screws,which engage in upper andlower threaded sockets to be moved strictly horizontal toward and fromeach other and preventing any tendency of the one to be canted in such away that its end 12 would not be perpendicular.

jj representlock-nuts screwing on the screwA shafts and setting upagainst the inner ends of the sections A.

A bar or dowel Dis provided for each of the blocks A at one side of theplunger, the same projecting horizontally crosswisefand entering asocket 17 therefor in the correspondingly-opposing block.` i

The sockets17 17 in the opposing pairs of the blocks exactly match, sothatwhatever maybe the distention or contraction ofone side IOO pair ofthe plunger-blocks A A the opposing pair of blocks may readily bebrought to have exactly the same distention or contraction by reason ofthe engagement of the dowels in the sockets therefor in all of the fourblocks. The opposite side pair of blocks may be adj usted crosswiserelative to each other by sliding them on the dowels, the set-screws fhaving been loosened preparatory to effecting the adjustment andtightened up again to connect the blocks firmly with the dowels afterthe lateral adjustment has been accomplished. The dowels also insurethat the blocks A A at one side must stand exactly parallel with thepair of blocks at the other side of the plunger.

In effecting the adjustment of the plunger longitudinally the dowelbetween one en d pair of the blocks is removed. The adjustment of oneside pair of the blocks is effected by operating the right and left handscrew for said side pair. Then the right and left hand screw for theother side pair of the blocks is operated, so that these blocks areopposite those of the first adjusted side pair, and the dowel isreplaced and secured by the set-screws therefor. Of course ineffectingthe transverse adjustments one set-screw for each of the dowelsmust be loosened.

This plunger is supported on the plungershaft F by the horizontal bar G,which ranges over the sectional plunger diagonally, substantially asshown in Fig. l, the opposite end portions of this bar having the slotsg,through which the confining-bolts h are passed, their screw-Shanksentering the tops of the diagonally-opposing blocks A A, while theirheads have a clamping bind upon the top vof the bar G. Vhen the plungeris to be adjusted, these confining-bolts are loosened, whereupon bothlongitudinal and transverse adjustments may be accomplished withoutinterference by the bar.

The plunger herein described is especially available in paper-boxmachines of the description shown and described in Letters Patent of theUnited States, dated May 28, 1894, No. 519,531, wherein the mostforcible setting pressure is brought against the ends of the folder andformer plunger, and it will be observed that this pressure is ablyresisted by the threads of the screw-shafts B, which receive the endthrust imparted against the ends of the blocks or sections A A.

inasmuch as it is desired to so construct the plunger that the oppositeside pairs of blocks may be for narrow boxes brought close together, itwill be observed that the gears on and between the pairs of right andleft hand threaded screw-shafts and the supports b b for theintermediate ones of these gears occupy a width no greater than thethickness transversely of the blocks, as will be especially apparent onreference to Figs. l and 4, and because it is desirable to acquire themost even and uniform operation by the upper and lower pairs ofscrews-shafts caused to rotate in a reversed direction from the lowerscrews the upper right and left hand screws B B are arranged with theirthreads reversed from the threads of the lower screws, so that bothscrews will operate to move the upper and lower portions of each blockat one time in the same direction.

Inasmuch as this plunger may be utilized in paper-box or analogousmachines in which the pressure against the blank and end of the plungeris somewhat within the corner adjoining the lateral side of the plunger,I find it occasionally advantageous to provide a removable andadjustable plate M, which traverses the distance between the end pair ofsections A, which is detachably confined by the set-screws n, which arepassed through the countersunk slots m in the plate and into thesections A.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

l. An eXtensible and contractible formerplunger consisting of fourblocks or sections, the front and rear side pairs being respectivelyscrew-engaged by right and left hand screw-shafts, the blocks at oneside having transversely-extending dowels which play through sockets'therefor which are provided in the opposing pair of said blocks, andset-screws for confining said blocks and dowels.

2. An extensible and contractible folderplunger comprising four blocksor sections arranged at the corners of a rectangle, means whereby theopposite end pairs are supported and adjustably confined in suitablyapproached or distended relation, means whereby the opposite side pairsof the blocks are supported and adjustably confined in approached ordistended relations, the plungershaft having the bar G, the ends ofwhich are longitudinally slotted and which ranges over and betweendiagonally-opposing pairs of said blocks and the headed bolts 7L h adjustably confining said bar G upon said diagonally Opposite blocks,substantially as described.

3. An extensible and contractible folderplunger comprising opposite endsections, upper and lower pairs of right and left hand screw-shaftsengaging said sections, means for turning one of said screw-shafts andmeans whereby, from the rotation thereof, the other of said shafts willbe also turned, for the pur-` pose set forth.

4c. An extensible and contractible folder- IOO IIO

plunger comprising four sections arranged at the corners of a rectangle,the opposite side pairs thereof having combined therewith screw-shaftsin pairs, the turning of which draw or distend the said screw-unitedside pairs of the sections, means whereby one side pair of the sectionsis adj ustably guided transversely relative to and connected with theother side pair, and means whereby, from the rotation of the onescrew-shaft of each side pair of the sections, the other screw-shaft forsaid side pair will also be rotated, for the purposes set forth.

5. An extensible and contractible folderplunger comprising opposite endsections, upper and lower pairs of right and left hand screw-shafts,screw engaging said sections, each having at its middle a gear-wheel,supports mounted on said screw-shafts adjacent the gear-wheels andsupporting intermediate gearing and means for turning one of the ygears, for the purpose set forth.

turn it, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. Ina contractible and extensible formerplunger in combination, thefour blocks or sections A A having the longitudinal screwsockets inpairs, the transverse horizontal sockets 17, and the dowels D engagingtherein, the set-screws f for said dowels, the upper and lower pairs ofright and left hand screwshafts foreach side pair of said blocks whichscrew-engage in said threaded sockets therefor and which shafts have attheir middle portions the gear-wheels C C and the hubs a, n the plates bwhich are apertured and supported upon said hubs a and on which aresupported the intermediate gear-wheels d CZ, the lock-nuts jj on saidscrew-shaft adapted to be set against the inner end faces of the saidblocks, the plunger-shaft F havingthe bar G horizontally ranging betweenand over the diagonally opposite pairs of the blocks and having theirends longitudinally slotted, and the headed bolts h h adjustablyconningsaid blocks to said bar, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname, in presence of two witnesses, this 13th day of July, 1897.

CHARLES M. HOLCOMB,

Witnesses: i

WM. S. BELLows,

M. A. CAMPBELL.

